Threaded-clamp connecter for storage batteries



Sept. 7 192s. 1,598,834

H. E WALKER THREADED CLAMP CONNECTER FOR STORAGE BATTERIES Filed August 6, 1921 jh WE zz fars Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT E. WALKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Application filed August 6, 1921.

This invention relates to a novel connecter for connecting the post of a storage battery with the lead or conductor through which the current is conducted to and from the battery in charging and discharging the latter.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide an improved connecter for this purpose to form a good electrical contact between the connecter and the post, by means which produce a compact and rugged construction.

A further object of-the invention is to provide a novel means for clamping directly on the post a part of the connecter which surrounds the post, the construction embracing wedge-like threaded parts which,

when forced home, aflord reliable electrical tact of the threads contact between the detachable parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel connecter of this character in which the part that surrounds the post has the form of a split member and which constitutes part of the current path, and which is adapted to be fitted axially over the post and to beclamped thereon by a threaded nut, the coacting parts of the structure being relatively tapered to clamp its current conducting parts together.

Another object of the invention in respect of the phase last mentioned is to so construct a split ring with respect to the hand of the screw thread that when the nut is turned over the split. ring, the friction conof, the nut and ring tends to wrap the ring member about the post to afford superior frictional contact between the post and ring.

Other objects of the invention are to further improve and simplify connectors for the general purposes set forth, and the invention consists in the combination and arrangemcnt of the parts shown in the drawings and described in the specification, and is pointed out in the appended claim.

It will be understood that the connecter shown may be employed with any type of battery having outstanding posts through which connection is made from the interior to the exterior of the battery, and vice versa. and that the connector may embody varying forms of cable terminal sockets.

As shown in the drawings igure 1 is a partial plan View of a cap Serial No. 490,315.

cover for an electric storage battery box, showing one of the connecters and the associated cap for closing the water inlet.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the connecter with the nut removed.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2, with the post shown in elevation. Figure 4 is a similar section on the line v of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section of a modification, showing a shghtly different form of termlnal socket.

First referring to the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, 10 designates the top cover of a storage battery box. 11 designates the cap for closing the water opening, and 12 designates, as a whole, my im proved connecter.

Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 4, 14 designates the battery post which is fixed in any suitably known manner to the cover 10. Said connecter comprises in general terms, a ring member 15, which can be made integral with the cable terminal socket 16, as by means of a neck or connecting portion 17. The socket 16, shown in Figure 2, is an angle socket, an as shown, is of that type in which the cable terminal may be soldered therein. In Figure 5 is shown a somewhat diilerent form of connecter, the socket 18 being of that type generally known as a universal socket that has a through opening 19 disposed axially of the socket member to receive a cable terminal fitting from either end, and is provided with a threaded opening to receive a clamping screw 20, by which the terminal fitting can be clamped in the socket member.

In the connecter shown in Figures 1 to 4,

inclusive, the ring 15 embraces a relatively massive base member 21 and a thinner upstanding shell 22, which latter is exteriorly threaded. The said base and shell of the ring may be interiorly. tapered to engage over the exteriorly tapered post 14. The shell portion 22 of the ring is provided with a plurality of angularly spaced slits 23 which extend through the top margin there of and down to the base 21. One of said slits 23 is in line with and constitutes a continuation of the slit 24 which is formed transversely of the base from its margin to its bore so that thereby the ring is slitted throughout its length at one point.

post, and to 25 designates a nut, preferably end closed to constitute a cap nut. It is interiorly screw threaded and fits over and engages the exterior screw thread of the shell 22 of the ring 15. The threaded portions of said nut and. shell are relatively tapered so that when the nut is threaded down over the shell the segments of the shell between the slits 23 are forced inwardly in close electrical contact with the post so as to frictionally lock the ring over the post and produce a good electrical joint between the ring and As herein shown, the threaded portion of the shell is exteriorly tapered, while the 1nterior thread of the nut is formed on the cylindric face thereof. In other words, the shell thread is tapered and the nut thread 18 straight. Therefore, the coaction of the straight and tapered threads force the segmental part of the nut shell closely against the post.

As a further improvement," the slit 24 which is cut through the base of the ring 15 is located in a part ofthe ring base adjacent to the fixed connection between the ring and the terminal socket 16, or the part of the ring structure which is most rigid, and the hand of the thread on the shell portion of the ring is in a direction tending from one side of said socket connection, and extending throughout the greater part of the circumference of the. ring to-. ward said slit, as indicated by the arrow on Figure 2. lVith this construction it will be manifest that when the nut-has been turned down tightly on the ring, the friction of the nut on the threaded portion of the ring graspsthe slitted ring part which operates to pull or wind the ring about the post from the connection of the ring with one side of the terminal socket towards the direction indicated by said arrow in Figure 2. The friction pull will also be exerted through the base and cause such winding effect to be exerted throughout the depth of the ring, the slit 24 narrowing during such winding operation. Such winding of the ring about the post is permitted, not only by reason of the hand of the thread relatively to the position of the slit 24, but also by reason of the relatively soft metal of which the ring is formed, brass, suitably plated, being material which may be used.

It will be obvious that by reason of the slitted threaded shell of the ring, the segments of which are forced inwardly against the post by the relatively straight and tapered threads on the shell and nut, and by reason of the hand of the nut operating in connection with the slitted shell and base to wrap the ring about the post, a very intimate contact between the nut and shell may be thus attained.

Ordinarily, such intimate contact would lock the parts rigidly together.

not be easy to break, when it is desired to detach the connector from the post, by reason of tendency or corrosion or freezing between the ring and post. However, the relatively wide slit 24 in the post of the ring permits an instrument, such as a screw driver, to be inserted in said slit to separate the ring parts at the side of said slit. Alternatively, the straight threads may be formed on the ring shell, and the tapered threads on the nut. So also the bore of the ring may be made cylindric to fit a straight post. In the construction shown in Figure 5,

the post 26 is tapered and exteriorly threaded. In this construction the ring member 27 is solid or unslitted. Said ringis 'interiorly smooth, as shown at 29, and of greater diam eter than the tapered threaded portion of the post.

30 designates a nut preferably closed at its end. Said nut is provided with an exterior cylindric perimeter 31, and an interior tapered thread 32. The skirt of the nut is provided with angularly spaced longitudinal slits 33 around its perimeter to form deformable segments between said slits in the same manner as like segments are formed in the slit shell portion of the ring in the construction shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. I

In the construction shown in said Figure 5, the ring 27 is fitted loosely over the threaded end of the post 26. The shell like portion or skirt of the nut is then fitted at 1 its lower narrower portion into the space between the tapered threaded end of the post and the internal cylindric surface 29 of the ring, and the ring is locked in place by threading the nut down over the post. It will be noted that the cross section of the threaded part of the nut is that of a wedge, and as the nut is threaded down over the post said wedge formation acts on the slitted wedge-shaped skirt of the nut to expand the smooth perimeter 31 thereof into intimate contact with the internal plain cylindric face 29 of the ring to afford close contact between said surfaces and also to rigidly lock the parts together.

In both of the constructions shown, it will be noted that the nuts are provided with polygonal upper extremities for ready engagement by a wrench, or the like, for turning the nut downwardly to clamp the contacting faces together and for removing the nut. It is also obvious that both embodiments of the invention provide an extremely rugged connecter which is capable of hard usage without impairing the parts thereof, which locks the structure aspost and attached thereto, inasmuch as the nut is accessible for the free use of a wrench to turn the same on and oil. The construction is compact in both vertical and lateral dimensions because of the slitted construction of the threaded portions of both the deformable members 22 and 31 and because of the axial relation of the post and nut.

In all the constructions there is sufficient clearance space between the end of the post and the nut to apply in said space a noncorrosive medium such as Vaseline, and the threading of the nut downwardly over the threaded portion has the effect to compress the said medium intimately into contact with the contacting parts, as will be obvious from an inspection of Figures 3, 4 and 5. The space also serves as a retainer to hold a substantial quantity of said medium, and therefore keep the parts in condition for ready detachment and separation of the parts.

While I have herein shown two embodiments of the invention differing in details from each otherto effect substantially the same results, it will be understood that the invention is capable of other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the claim hereto appended.

I claim as my invention I A battery terminal connecter comprising a split sleeve havingat its upper end a threaded tapered outer surface, a nut adapted upon rotation to contract said sleeve upon a terminal post, a flange on the lower endof said sleeve and a wire receiving sooket'connected to said flange.

In witness whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, I hereunto append my signature this 19 day of July, 1921. p

HERBERT E. WALKER. 

